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The shirt was well-loved. A faded logo of a California gym on the front, the seams of the front pocket were ripped at the edges.
When I lifted it toward my face and took a deep inhale to see if that was the source of the smell, I shoved it back into place with a groan before I could go any further down this crazy-ass rabbit hole.
I know you don’t know me, but I’m sixteen, and I think you’re amazing, and even though I’m younger than you, I know we’re meant to meet.
My eyes pinched shut, and my heart raced uncomfortably when I thought about that silly, silly letter, folded carefully and locked inside the metal box.
I was no better than the bouncing co-ed fangirl and her substandard bra and her giggles and her like. Sitting up straight, I took a deep breath and stared hard at my own reflection in the glass overlooking the gym.
No more, I thought. No more sniffing. No more butterflies. No more wondering when he was going to come in or obsessing about whether we’d share space or he’d buy coffee. No more tripping at his feet or childish displays to make me feel better about my embarrassment.
“Isabel Ward,” I said, “get your shit together. This is fucking ridiculous.”
Sweatshirt back in place, I made the chair spin from standing too quickly and marched out of my office. With only one more class on the schedule for the rest of the day and no training sessions of my own, the gym would most likely be quiet for the next couple of hours.
It was easy to keep myself busy, and I popped in one earbud so I could listen to some music without missing anything that might need my attention.
Exiting the now cleaned women’s bathroom, I did a quick scan of the gym, something I did constantly when I was the only person working, and noticed that the gym was empty. A glance at the digital clock on the wall told me it would probably stay that way until we got our usual post-work day group.
Which was why I stopped short as a young girl sprinted across the room, white-blond hair flying, and then shimmied straight up one of the heavy bags until she’d hooked her tiny arms over the top and hoisted herself up onto the iron beam that held the entire rack in place.
In no more time than it took me to blink, she’d climbed to the top of the beam, where she now sat perched, legs swinging like she didn’t have a care in the world.
It took a concerted effort to close my gaping mouth, but I set down the cleaning supplies and looked around the gym. Not a parent in sight. It was completely normal for a few kids to tag along with their parents if they came to class, but this was not normal.
Nor was it safe.
The last thing we needed was someone’s kid falling from an iron beam and breaking her leg. I approached carefully, channeling all my big sister vibes. Her eyes were wide and clear and bright blue, and they tracked every step that I took.
I set my hands on my hips and glanced up at the beam. “Impressive,” I told her.
She didn’t answer, but her lips quirked in a smile.
“What’s your name?”
“You’re a stranger, so I shouldn’t tell you.”
I nodded slowly. “That’s very smart.”
“What’s your name?”
“Isabel. Where’d you learn how to climb like that?”
She shrugged. “Dunno. I’ve always known how.”
“And you’re not afraid of heights?”
Her hair swooshed when she shook her head.
“Do you think you could hop down to me?” Again, the hair swooshing and the head shaking. Okay then. “It would get pretty uncomfortable sitting up there all day.”
Her legs swung. Yeah, she was in no freaking hurry. How nice for her.
“I don’t know if I could climb up onto the beam,” I said, “but I do have one other trick I could do.”
Interest sparked behind those eyes. “What is it?”
I clucked my tongue. “Can’t tell you unless you hop down, kiddo.”
